News &amp; Features - March 2013

Ponderosa Elementery School fourth-grader Kylie Cook, 9, lifts weights during PE class at the school in Loveland on Wednesday, March 20, 2013.

Todd Heeren, owner of Loveland based Progression Neon, unhooks a strap used to remove the neon sign from City Newsstand & Coffee House Tuesday in Downtown Loveland, Colo.

Chris Alsum, Executive Assistant of Group Publishing, admires Heart Gallery's pictures located in the lobby of Group. By hosting this month long exhibit, she hopes to raise awareness about children in Colorado awaiting adoption.

A towtruck driver prepares to move a Toyota pickup after it crashed into a tree at the Post Office on 29th Street in Loveland on Tuesday, March 19, 2013.

Conrad Ball Middle School students Daniel Haney, 12, and Faith Zorack, 11, work together to solve a math problem Tuesday afternoon in an after-school math and literacy tutoring program offered by their school in Loveland, Colo.

Crews from Loveland Fire Rescue Authority and Poudre fire Authority mop up hots spots during a grass fire at the Cathy Fromme Prairie between Loveland and Fort Collins south of Harmony Road and east of Taft Hill Road on Monday, March 18, 2013.

Shadow, the newest Loveland Police K9, lunges towards her target as her partner, Officer Rob Croner holds her back during training in Loveland on Thursday, March 14, 2013.

Jaryn Oakley, left, tries to steady Drew Wallace, right, agaisnt the wind as he takes a photo of smoke from the Soldier Canyon fire near Horsetooth Reservoir on Friday, March 16, 2013.

Zach Alvarez, 18, left, and Tyler Webb, 17, hold their arms out against huge wind gusts as they watch smoke from the Soldier Canyon fire from the east side of Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins on Friday, March 16, 2013. The two saw the smoke from Rocky Mountain High School and came up to get a closer look.

Debbie Gutierrez, owner of K-9 Island, a day resort, hotel and spa for dogs, plays with her pooches, Addie, left, and Sadie, right, at the dog day care in Loveland on Wednesday, March 13, 2013.

One of Berthoud High School's robotics teams prepares for the upcoming VEX World Championships in Anaheim, CA, on April 17-20. From left to right, Brandon Montero, 18, Mitch Sandell, 16, Tevor Von Seggern, 17, and Bryan Montero, 16, demonstrate the capabilities of their robot.

Relaxing in his Berthoud home on Wednesday, Alex Bray, 13, continues to smile despite the hardships he has faced since he was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 7. A fundraiser will be held for Alex at the Berthoud Community Center on March 24.

Alex Bray, 12, and his mother Linda Bray, smile for the camera in their Berthoud home on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Alex was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 7 and there will be a fundraiser to support the family at the Berthoud Community Center on March 24.

Nancy Jakobsson, left, and long time co-worker Janet Severance, right, smile after Jakobsson received the McKee Communtiy Health Award during a luncheon at the McKee Conference and Wellness Center in Loveland on Thursday, March 14, 2013.

Nancy Jakobsson, right, gets a hug from Lin Boysen after Jakobsson received the McKee Communtiy Health Award during a luncheon at the McKee Conference and Wellness Center in Loveland on Thursday, March 14, 2013.

Loveland Fire Rescue Authority firefighters work to extinguish a grass fire near Larimer County roads 14 and 21 southwest of Loveland on Thrusday, March 14, 2013. The fire burned 2-3 acres.

Loveland Police Officer Rob Croner, left, holds back tears Wednesday as he is presented with a memorial stone in honor of his beloved partner, K-9 D'Jango, during a memorial service for the K-9 officer who died last week. Police Officer Steve Marchio, right, hands him the stone as Rob's wife, Christina Croner, far left, wipes away tears.

Rob Croner, 10, cries as he looks at a shadow box with photos of D'Jango, his dad, Officer Rob Croner's K-9 partner, who died last week. The Croner family talked of their love for D'Jango and how he protected them during a memorial service at the Loveland Police Department on Wednesday, March 13, 2013.

Joan Fenwick, center, reacts after being honored as Volunteer of the Year during the RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) 2013 Service Awards at the Loveland Museum/Gallery on Tuesday, March 12, 2013.

Edmondson Elementary School fifth-graders Aubrey Woodard, 11, left, and Joslyn Richard, 11, right, present what they learned about rabies to a panel at the school in Loveland on Monday, March 11, 2013.

Lance Foster Riggert, 4, left, is full of giggles and smiles during snacktime with his friend Ty Brown, 4, right, at the Thompson Integrated Early Childhood Program on Tuesday, March 12, 2013.

Zach Reynolds rakes the infield of the southernmost Centennial Park ballfield in Loveland, Colo, in hopes of speeding up the drying process Monday afternoon.

Trent McFadden pushes standing water into the grass Monday at Centennial Park and Ballfields in Loveland. Colo. With a baseball game scheduled on the field tomorrow, the park and rec crews are working hard to dry the field as much as possible.

Becca Kosakewich, a certified vet technician, cares for Elam, a 10 week-old male kitten, as he recovers from being neutered at the Fort Collins Cat Rescue & Spay/Neuter Clinic on Monday, March 11, 2013.

Cats recover after being neutered and spayed at the Fort Collins Cat Rescue & Spay/Neuter Clinic as volunteer Cindy Fravel checks on them on Monday, March 11, 2013.

Robert Redder, left, and his great-grandson Jaiden Perry, 12, look at the certificate Redder was awarded during the 2013 Heroes Among Us event on Thursday, March 21, 2013 at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Jaiden nominated his great grandfather for the honor and wrote that he is involved in many areas of his life including helping with school work and attending Jaiden's sports events.

Lylah Becker, 10, right, rolls a ball while playing a game as Hailie McCrimmon, 12, left, Logan McCrimmon, 9, and Courtney Southard, 15, look on during the 4-H Carnival and Craft Show on Saturday, March 23, 2013 in the First National Bank Exhibition Hall at The Ranch.

Raven Myhre, 10, front right, plays the Toilet Paper Toss game at the High Country Handiworkers 4-H Club's booth while Justin Phillips, 13, left, Hunter Walker, 12, and Zach Myhre, 8, look on during the 4-H Carnival and Craft Show on Saturday, March 23, 2013 in the First National Bank Exhibition Hall at The Ranch.

Justin Woller, 12, middle, shoots a mini basketball while playing a game at the Sagebrush Riders 4-H booth being run with help from members Kenna Lorenzen, 8, left, and Josh Esposito, 10, right, during the 4-H Carnival and Craft Show on Saturday, March 23, 2013 in the First National Bank Exhibition Hall at The Ranch.

Three-year-old Josiah Lacy kneels on a table as he prepares to play the Bottle Ballistics game being run by Buckeye Buccaneers 4-H Club members, middle from front to back, Zane Paglioti, Wyatt Deer and Daiton Crego during the 4-H Carnival and Craft Show on Saturday, March 23, 2013 in the First National Bank Exhibition Hall at The Ranch.

Moriah Blum, 5, right, holds a mirror for her friend Kadie Childers, 6, so they can see how their face paintings look that were done by Cristyn Johns, left, of the Boxelder Trails 4-H Club during the 4-H Carnival and Craft Show on Saturday, March 23, 2013 in the First National Bank Exhibition Hall at The Ranch.

Stratton Wotowey, 13, left, and Tyler Pimple, 12, play a ball-toss game being run by Sam Dehaan, 10, back right, and his sister Zoey Dehaan, 7, from the All American 4-H Club during the 4-H Carnival and Craft Show on Saturday, March 23, 2013 in the First National Bank Exhibition Hall at The Ranch.

Riley Godbey, 8, front right, and Aidan Horwitz, 7, wave at a storm trooper while watching the Lucky Joe's St. Patrick's Day Parade together on Saturday, March 16, 2013 in Old Town in Fort Collins, Colo.

Alyssa Rodriguez sits with a dog named Tommy while riding atop the Animal House float during the Lucky Joe's St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 16, 2013 in Old Town in Fort Collins, Colo. Tommy and the other dogs on the float are all available for adoption.

Lucky Joe's St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 16, 2013 in Old Town in Fort Collins, Colo.

Lucky Joe's St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 16, 2013 in Old Town in Fort Collins, Colo.

Jacob VanDress, 12, left, Austin Lousberg, 10, Hailey Ramos, 9, and Lexi Duran, 8, walk together as part of the Young People's Learning Center entry during the Lucky Joe's St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 16, 2013 in Old Town in Fort Collins, Colo.

Parade watchers get high-fives while watching the Lucky Joe's St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 16, 2013 in Old Town in Fort Collins, Colo.

Members of FoCo Girls Gone Derby, front from left to right, Shaudin Kunselman, Tracey Bjick, Emilie Gooch, Kate Wyman and Stacey Kloxin roll and walk together along the parade route during the Lucky Joe's St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 16, 2013 in Old Town in Fort Collins, Colo.

0316 NWS SoldFireNight-js.jpg Flames from the Galena fire consume land in Fort Collins on Friday, March 15, 2013.